When the dust settles on those first chaotic weeks of getting kids back to school, parents turn their attention to a bigger challenge: how to help their child make the most of this academic year and the years to come. As millions of children settle back into school this fall, Guitar Center is reinforcing its commitment to developing the next generation of musicians through music education by releasing the findings of their research study. This study explores the effects of supplemental music lessons on the development of children ages 7 to 17 – effects that could be the key to their ongoing success.

The study finds that students participating in supplemental music lessons enjoy a variety of positive effects and healthy habits – including self-imposed limitation of screen time; increased problem-solving skills, time management and prioritization; increased self-awareness and social skills, and more.

Donny Gruendler, Vice President of Music Education for Guitar Center, who instructed Grammy nominated musician Anderson .Paak, is available for a phone interview to discuss key findings from the study including:

+ The role that limited screen time has in the healthy development of children

+ Positive effects for students participating in supplemental music lessons

+ Top five effects for students ages 7-17, after a year of participating in private music lessons

As you know, police departments work very hard to ensure the safety of the communities which they serve. Recently, a number of police departments across the country have added shelter dogs to their police force as inexpensive and highly effective resource to help combat crime. Through the Animal Farm Foundation’s (AFF) Detection Dog Grant Program and Sector K9, shelter dogs are trained to become Detection Dogs to assist police officers in fighting crime.

K9 Sentry was days away from being euthanized at a shelter in Indiana when a volunteer contacted Animal Farm Foundation. AFF recognized K9 Sentry’s potential and trained Sentry to be a Detection Dog.

K9 Sentry and Officer Allen Connelly of the Town of Addis Police Department and West Baton Rouge Parish Sherriff’s Office in Louisiana made a HUGE Drug Bust over the weekend. Shelter dog turned Drug Detection Dog K9 Sentry detected 4 KILOS OF HEROIN – A STREET VALUE OF A MILLION DOLLARS!

Traditionally, detection dogs costs for pure bred dogs from $10,000-$20,000. Because of a grant provided by Animal Farm Foundation, the dogs that go through Sector K9 training program are FREE to police departments and schools. The training period usually takes 8 weeks. Using AFF’s philosophy that all dogs are individuals and should not be categorized because of their breed, each shelter selects dogs to be donated to the program based on their personality traits. Sector K9 trains the dogs to prepare them to work with police departments helping them detect drugs, explosives, and weapons. To date over 70 dogs have been placed across the country in police departments and schools through this program.

The madness of the fall season is upon us but no need to worry (!!), international authority on stress, Dr. Terry Lyles, will tell you that there is a secret that only elite performers know, and it is this: stress is good. While natural disasters and tragedy are some of the most trying events for humans to process, changing social and political environments also cause stress, as do ordinary events over the course of a lifetime, such as getting married, having children, facing deadlines, changing careers, and holiday madness.

The pressures of modern life are affecting how our children see themselves,but there are many ways you as a parent can help boost their self–image.

In 2016, ChildLine released the results of a study that found children were struggling with the pressures of modern life: their confidence is being affected by cyber-bullying, social media and the desire to copy celebrities to achieve the ‘perfect’ image.Thisstatistichad led to a 9% increase in children’s counselling sessions for self–esteem in 2014-15, compared to the previous year.

As a parent, it’sessentialfor you to know what self–esteem is,including the differences between high and low self-esteem,how you can help your child and, if they need it, what treatment options are available to them if they require support. Here’s what you need to know.

What is self-esteem?

It’s how you think about yourself.Many things can affect how a child sees themselves, such as how they’re performing at school, if they’re being bullied, if they’ve experienced some form of trauma, or how society and the media says they should look and what makes them popular.

Among other things,children with high self-esteem:

●Have a positive image of themselves

●Are confident

●Make friends easily

●Can play on their own or in groups

●Will try new things and can adapt tochange

Your child may have low self-esteem if they:

●Have a negative view of themselves, and may say they feel ugly, bad or stupid

●Find it difficult to make friends or maintain friendships

●Can’t deal well with failure

●Aren’t proud of their achievements and think they can do better

●Negatively compare themselves to others

How can I build my child’s self-esteem?

There are several different ways you can help your child to boost their self–esteem, but you can start byshowing them how much they mean to yourather than just telling them that they are loved. They need to see how important they are to their parent, and you can do that by spending quality time with them.

One of the signs of low self-esteem in someone is they put themselvesdown, orcompare themselves negatively to otherpeople.That’s why you need tolead by example and take the positives from any challenges.

They may also have a fear of failing, meaning they may not take part in somethingmore trickyin case they don’t succeed. Encourageyour childto take on a challenge they may not normallydo, andpraise them for doing it – even if there isn’t a successful outcome. It’s their effort, rather than the result, that should be celebrated.Plus, make your child aware thatit’s okay to make mistakes: it happens to everyone,and it’s how we can learn.

You can then look to setgoals that your child may want to achieve.It may startsmall, butbuild thegoalsup as time goes on. Just make sure theseare realistic and appropriate toyour child.

If your child tells you how they feel, let them know you’ve heard what they’ve said,and even help them express their feelings.If they do criticize themselves,challenge themso they start saying they can do things rather than they can’t.

You may need to consider what you say and how you say it to your child, though.Try not to criticize, label or blame them, as this will give them negative messages that may affect themlater onin life. Also don’t compare your child to others because it will tell them they are not good enough.

Although praise will help build your child’s self-esteem, it’s possible thatover-praise can even do more harm than good. Telling them they are doing a good job means they may no longer need to push themselves, but confidence(andhigh self-esteem)comes from practice.

What treatment is available for low self-esteem?

If your child’s self-esteem doesn’t improve, then they may need some form of support from your doctor oranother medical professional. If this isthe case, go to yourdoctorto get advice on what you could do next or what options are available to your child.

Issues with body image can contribute to low self-esteem, which could be alleviated by therapy sessions – either by speaking to a therapist or bygoing on a residential program. Places such asIgnite Teen Treatmentoffer programs for young people to benefit fromspecially designed body image treatmentand could be something to consider for your child if appropriate.

If you don’t know what to do, or you’re not sure how to speak to your child about any issues they may have, go to yourdoctor,and they will give you help. They canprovide you withadvice and guidance on how to start conversations about low self-esteem, and what support is available in the area to you and your family.

As the #1 anti aging brand in European pharmacies, Vichy Laboratories is a dermatologically-proven skin care brand driven by clean, safe and effective products. Their latest launch is an addition to their award-winning LiftActiv anti aging line: the new LiftActiv Peptide-C Anti Aging Moisturizer.

Every year, collagen decreases with biological aging and exposure to daily exposome aggressors. Additionally, collagen constitutes 70-80% of the dry weight of skin and with age skin’s capacity to produce collagen is reduced by 75%. At age 20, collagen starts to deteriorate and by 40 we are losing 1% of collagen each year, resulting in increased wrinkles, discoloration, dehydration, loss of contour definition and firmness, and a dull complexion. To help rebuild collagen and preserve skin’s youthful appearance, Peptides are essential nutrients that serve as the building blocks to the skin’s structure and function.

Vichy LiftActiv Peptide-C Anti Aging Moisturizer Ingredients

“Peptides are one of the anti aging ingredients that I recommend the most to my patients to combat collagen loss,” says Internationally Recognized Dermatologist and Neuroscientist, Dr. Gilbert, MD PhD FAAD. “Vichy’s Peptide-C combines Phyto Peptides with Vitamin C, as well as the proprietary Vichy Mineralizing Water to help strengthen the skin barrier and protect against everyday aggressors. These three ingredients combined help to create a triple threat against signs of aging, for strong healthy skin.”

LiftActiv Peptide-C is an advanced anti aging moisturizer to help correct multiple signs of aging including wrinkles, dull skin, loss of contour definition and loss of firmness. With a rich, creamy texture, this anti aging moisturizer visibly reduces the signs of collagen loss on skin. Apply to clean skin morning and night, daily sunscreen use recommended. For boosted anti aging results pair with Vichy LiftActiv 15% Pure Vitamin C Serum in the morning and LiftActiv Retinol Treatment in the evening.

Ingredients:

FEATURED INGREDIENT: VICHY MINERALIZING WATER

A miracle of nature from the preserved region of Auvergne, rich in 15 minerals, helps strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier function to help protect skin against aggressors.

FEATURED INGREDIENT: PHYTO PEPTIDES

One of the first of plant origin, phyto peptides are short fragments of proteins naturally derived from green peas that help visibly firm skin’s appearance.

FEATURED INGREDIENT: VITAMIN C

An antioxidant known to help brighten skin and reduce the appearance of skin aging.

Vichy is the #1 Anti Aging Brand in European Pharmacies. Created by Dr. Haller in 1931, Vichy is among the first French doctors’ brands trusted by millions of women in Europe and around the world. For over 85 years, Vichy has been committed to providing clean, safe and effective skin care solutions to women of all skin types, skin concerns, ethnicities and ages. At the crux of this legacy is Vichy’s most pure and potent ingredient: Vichy’s exclusive Mineralizing Water, charged with the highest concentration of 15 rich minerals essential to skin health, to fortify and protect skin from daily aggressors like pollution, stress and fatigue. This Mineralizing Water is formed by nature in the depths of the French volcanos and impossible to reproduce scientifically. The Vichy formulation charter is centered around Vichy’s Mineralizing Water and combining other potent and natural origin ingredients with sensorial formulations all coming together to provide a clean, safe and effective skin care experience. Discover Vichy for everyday skin health. For additional information, please visit www.vichyusa.com, www.instagram.com/vichyusa, www.facebook.com/VichyUSA

JOAH – which is Korean for “I like it” – is the first full-range K-beauty cosmetics line available to the mass market, offering easily achievable beauty benefits, on-trend colors, and innovative high performance formulas. The full JOAH line features 190 SKUs spanning across the lip, eye, brow, face, and cosmetic brush segments. Price points range from $2.99 to $13.99. The playful names and colorful packaging reflect the JOAH attitude -– fearlessly feminine and unapologetically girly.

ABOUT JOAH

Rooted in Korean Culture, K-Beauty is a philosophy that caring for your skin comes first and what you put on your face really matters. JOAH brings the best of Korean beauty innovation and quality to the US with a full cosmetics line featuring skin-loving ingredients + formulas that really work. You will see the difference & feel the difference when you wear JOAH cosmetics. Plus just because it’s the best, we don’t expect you to pay a fortune. JOAH is Korean for “I like it” and you’ll love it too! For more information, visit www.JOAHbeauty.com.